Differences between shielded and unshielded cables

1. Appearance difference: The visual difference between shielded and unshielded cables is that the shielded cables have metal mesh and film; Unshielded cables do not. Each pair of wires in a shielded twisted pair cable (STP) is wrapped with foil to reduce radiation, and then wrapped again to provide dual protection; Unshielded twisted pair cables (UTP) twist each pair of wires together, consisting of multiple cores and a plastic sheath, and then wrap these wires in a conduit without any additional protection.

2. The combination of shielded cables and shielded crystal heads can effectively prevent electromagnetic radiation interference from other high-power electrical appliances and strong power sources around, significantly reducing the bit error rate of signal transmission. Unshielded cables have different materials and conductor structures for their jackets, resulting in strong or weak interference.

3. The ease of installation varies: Shielded cables can reduce interference, but their installation requires special connectors that support shielding functions and corresponding installation techniques. Therefore, the installation of shielded cables is more difficult than that of unshielded cables.

4. Different applications

(1) Shielded cables only function when the entire cable is shielded and both ends are properly grounded. Therefore, the laying of shielded cables requires that the entire system be entirely shielded, including cables, sockets, crystal heads, and distribution frames. At the same time, buildings need to have a good grounding system. Shielded cables are useful in any environment where there is a high likelihood of electronic interference, so they can be used in radio cable assemblies and airport cable assemblies. STP cables are also used in secure systems to protect them from power frequency and radio frequency interference, as well as in box buildings with multiple different components that are closely adjacent.

(2) Unshielded cables (UTP) do not use shielding to reduce interference, and because they are lightweight, flexible, easy to install, and inexpensive, they are suitable for use as office LANS and similar network cabling systems. The above is the difference between shielded and unshielded cables. I hope you have a simple understanding of these two major types of cables. In practical applications, it is necessary to select the appropriate cable based on the actual situation to avoid interference with the cable signal during signal transmission and prevent normal operation.